


Get Your Dream

by sagely_sea



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lotor (Voltron), Pining Shiro (Voltron), Post-Season/Series Finale, S8 does not exist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:02:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23805787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sagely_sea/pseuds/sagely_sea
Summary: Keith worries that Shiro and Lotor are too good for him.Shiro worries that he missed his chance and Keith only sees him as family.Lotor worries that if given the choice, Keith will always choose Shiro over him.When they all reunite for the first anniversary of freeing the universe, Lotor has decided he's had enough and tells Shiro that they need to confess bluntly to Keith so he can choose one of them if he wants to.
Relationships: Keith/Lotor/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Get Your Dream

**Author's Note:**

> I asked twitter followers to give me some prompts to try and keep me productive during the pandemic and this one was from ragdollrory who wanted to see Shiro, Lotor, Keith and mutual pining and gave me the line "Are we doing this like gentlemen, or...?" as a prompt.

It had been a year since the end of the war and Altea and Daibazaal had been restored and everyone was gathering together to celebrate. It was suggested that the celebration be hosted on Earth, New Altea and New Daibazaal in a rotating fashion and while initially there had been some intense words from all sides about who should host first, Allura announcing her pregnancy had quickly put an end to it as none of the heroes of the war were about to leave anything to chance when it came to Allura and Lance’s child. 

So Shiro and the Atlas had arrived on New Altea a week ago and had been anxiously awaiting Keith to turn up. It had been months since he’d seen him and while they talked regularly through video, it just wasn’t the same. 

Besides, Shiro had finally worked up the courage to tell Keith how he felt. And he worried if he had to wait too much longer he would lose his nerve. Matt told him he was being ridiculous and that of course, Keith would say yes to dating him and then probably drag him off to the nearest bedroom. 

But while Shiro knew that Keith cared for him deeply, he didn’t know if it was truly romantic. At least not anymore. A lot could happen over the course of a war and a year. 

Like a certain Galra King who had been showing far too much interest in Keith for Shiro’s sanity. 

It could be argued that Lotor was just showing an interest because Keith was the leader of the blades in charge of the humanitarian and peace efforts. And of course, it made sense for the ruler of the Galra to want to be more hands-on in such things. But Shiro had seen the news footage of their work and how Lotor stood in Keith’s personal space and watched him far too closely. 

It was the same way Shiro watched Keith. 

Shiro knew he had a lot to offer someone but Lotor was annoyingly handsome, smart, skilled at flying and fighting, rich, and oh so very polished and royal. Shiro sometimes really regretted being one of the ones to campaign for Lotor to be given a second chance to make amends for his past choices. 

Nobody was free of misdeeds in a war. And while some of Lotor’s decisions had crossed from dubious to disastrous, in the end, he had proven that all he wanted was to do what was best for the universe and Shiro wasn’t sure how many of them would be here to celebrate the first anniversary if it hadn’t for his assistance. 

He had hoped he was wrong about Lotor and his intentions with Keith but as he walked to the landing pad to greet Keith, he discovered Lotor already there and waiting. 

“Lotor,” Shiro said in greeting with a friendly nod. He might not want Lotor anywhere near Keith but that didn’t mean they weren’t still friends. 

“Shiro,” Lotor said returning the nod. He then looked back toward the open sky where Shiro thought he could just make out an incoming ship. 

“When did you get in?” Shiro asked. No matter his feelings about their possible love rivalry for Keith, they were all heroes of the war and in positions of authority now. He should have been there to greet Lotor. It was only them here to meet Keith, but Shiro was pretty sure that’s because he had only told a handful of people when he was arriving and even that message was sent when he arrived in New Altean territory. Keith could handle the spotlight when his duties required it but Shiro was impressed at how much Keith could get out of being the centre of attention and the tedious ceremonies and parties. 

Shiro wondered if he ended up having to compete with Lotor if it would put himself in a better light. Lotor could offer Keith planets, but Shiro could offer him a quieter life. Attending galas and hosting diplomats and leaders would be part of Lotor’s partner’s job.

“Early this morning. I wanted a chance to see Allura before things got too hectic.” 

Shiro could understand that. Despite the bonds they built during the war, it was hard to stay in touch as they’d like. There was so much that needed to be done for their planets and the universe. Their own needs seemed to come second most days. “She must have been glad to see you in person. She mentioned wanting your advice on a few things,” Shiro said. He wasn’t sure if it was about the party, her pregnancy, or something else, but he hoped Lotor had had the answers she wanted. 

“We talked for a while but we’ll make some more time before I leave,” Lotor said. 

Shiro was going to ask when that was when engine noises drowned out all other sound around them, Keith’s ship finally coming in for the landing. 

When the hatch opened, Kosmo stepped out first, barely seeming like he’d fit through the door with how big he was now. He looked around the landing area and then poofed out of existence only to poof back in front of Shiro and Lotor. 

They both grimaced as Kosmo licked his and then Lotor’s face in greeting and their view was taken up by nothing but glowing marks and blue fur. “Good to see you, too, boy,” Shiro said. Though he didn’t think it was all that good as he wiped the drool from his face. 

“Kosmo,” Keith said, exasperation clear in his voice. “We don’t slobber on friends.” 

Kosmo turned and ran back to Keith and Shiro nearly forgot to breathe. Keith always looked good on the vid calls but seeing him in person was something else. Gone was the kid with rough edges who didn’t know where he belonged. Now he was a confident young man who had fully come into his own. 

As Keith lectured Kosmo about drooling, Shiro tried to wipe more of it away, and spared a quick glance at Lotor. Even as he wiped the drool off with a handkerchief, his eyes never left Keith. 

“You guys didn’t have to meet me,” Keith said as he walked closer. 

“And if it’d been the reverse?” Shiro asked. 

Keith shrugged and stepped right into Shiro’s personal space. Shiro tugged him in with a hand on his, holding it between their chests as he pulled him into a hug. “Missed you,” Shiro said. 

“We talked yesterday.” The words were teasing but Keith’s voice was soft and he made no move to leave Shiro’s arms yet. 

“You didn’t think I’d let my favourite Blade sneak onto the planet, did you?” Lotor asked when he clearly drew tired of being ignored. 

Keith pulled out of Shiro’s hold and moved to Lotor. “Acxa isn’t going to like hearing that,” Keith said. 

Shiro wasn’t sure when Lotor and Keith had moved to the hugging stage of their friendship but he wished it looked half as awkward as the times he’d seen Hunk pull Keith into a hug. But there was no moment of stiffness in Keith as he moved his arms around Lotor and gave him a squeeze. 

The only thing Shiro appreciated was that the hug was a lot shorter than the one he got. 

“I’m going to go shower and change and say hi to Allura. Have you guys had lunch yet?” Keith asked. 

“Not yet,” Shiro said the same time as Lotor. 

“Great. Let’s meet in that informal dining space in our wing in thirty.” 

“Do you need help getting to your room?” Lotor asked. 

“I’m good. But thanks.” Keith picked up a bag that Shiro hadn’t even noticed he must have put down earlier and then put a hand on Kosmo. “See you guys soon.” 

Kosmo and him zapped out of the space and Shiro caught Lotor’s gaze over the empty space Keith used to be in. 

"Are we doing this like gentlemen, or...?" Lotor trailed off. 

Shiro sighed. He didn’t have to ask what it was they were doing. He just didn’t know strange Galra or Atlean customs Lotor might know about dating that he didn’t but thought he’d be agreeing to. 

“I’m not sure what you think doing this like a gentleman means,” Shiro said. 

“I guess when these things are across several cultures it does get a bit confusing,” Lotor admitted with an elegant shrug. “I’m not wrong in my assumption that you have finally realized your feeling about Keith and plan to do something about it?” 

Shiro gave Lotor a stern look at that but didn’t rise to the bait. If Matt was right, he wasn’t as subtle as he thought he’d been the past year or so and Lotor was far too observant at times. 

“You’re not wrong,” Shiro said. 

“Then I propose we use lunch to both tell Keith we would like to date him and let him choose who he would like as his suitor. Or if he would like to have a trial date with us both, we promise not to interfere with the other’s date.”

“Why would he need to have a trial date? He knows us.” Shiro decided to focus on that and not that Lotor wanted them both to confess their feelings in less than an hour’s time. Shiro had prepared himself to confess sometime during the anniversary celebration but he thought he still had a day or two to find the words he needed. 

“A friendship is not the same as a romantic partner. A date might offer different experiences and help him see that friendship is all there is or that it has the potential to blossom into more,” Lotor said. 

Shiro could admit that it made sense in a way. “Fine. So we’ll do that. But just out of curiosity, what’s the non-gentleman way to do it?” Shiro asked. 

Lotor gave him a smirk and then eyed him up like a predator might prey and Shiro wondered why the shiver he felt down his spine was more from arousal than fear. Though what he felt was mostly annoyance. Lotor really enjoyed his dramatics when a simple answer was more than enough. 

“I knock you out, tell Keith you couldn’t make it and then sweep him off his feet before you get the chance to do anything,” Lotor said. 

Shiro huffed and crossed his arms. “Not happening.” He wasn’t that easy to take down and in the ensuing chaos a fight between them would cause, no doubt Keith would show up and then give them both disappointed looks. 

“Of course. So I’ll see you at lunch?” Lotor asked. 

“Actually, I doubt Keith will think to get anything ready. We should probably get food from the kitchens and set it up,” Shiro said. 

“True. I know his favourite Galran food if you know his favourite Earth foods,” Lotor said cordially as they headed back into the palace. 

It was odd to be so friendly with Lotor when they were both competing for Keith’s affections but at the same time, it felt natural to put aside differences to look after Keith. And it wasn’t as if he and Lotor hadn’t worked together in the past on various things. They actually worked quite well together if their goal was the same. It was just unfortunate that there was a Keith-sized roadblock in their friendship at the moment. But maybe after this lunch, it would be resolved. And Shiro hoped that after some time, Lotor would forgive him for gaining Keith’s affection over him. After all, he had history on his side and a bond that Lotor couldn’t hope to recreate or surpass in just a year. 

Confident in his ability to win this gentleman’s contest for Keith’s affection with Lotor, and refusing to think how that deep bond could have turned from romantic to familial from his hesitation, he strode down the halls and to the kitchen next to Lotor. 

-0-0-0-0-0-

“Quiznak. That was close,” Keith said as he held a hand up to his racing heart. 

Kosmo gave him a curious look and Keith reached up to pet his ears. “You did good, boy. I wasn’t expecting them both to be there. One’s bad enough. But put them side by side… and then they had to be wearing their uniforms… who decided making their uniforms so fitted was a good idea?” Keith asked not expecting an answer. 

Still, Kosmo nudged him and the glowing eyes seemed to be pointing to Keith’s own outfit. Okay, the Blade outfits were a bit tight, but with the robe over it, it wasn’t nearly that bad. And he doubted anyone noticed him in his uniform anyway, not when he spent his time around men who had legs the size of him or women who had their curves amplified in all of the best ways by the suit. 

“It’s not the same and you know it…. Ugh and then their smiles,” Keith said. He turned and pressed his face into Kosmo’s fur during his minor crisis as he remembered just how they looked smiling so brightly at him as he exited his ship. 

He could handle them one on one but the double whammy had been a surprise and he’d forgotten just how beautiful they were in person. The vid calls were great but somehow managed to dull just how powerful their presence was. 

He’d frozen like some deer in the headlights and had practically tripped down the walkway off of the ship. Thankfully, Kosmo had flashed over and blocked their view and distracted them and had given Keith a chance to collect himself. He might never make it as an undercover operative but his Blade training and numerous diplomatic meetings had at least taught him how to compose himself a little and force a calm presence he didn’t always feel inside. 

“You did good today, buddy. Though you really shouldn’t drool on royalty or the captain of the Atlas,” Keith said. He continued scratching Kosmo wherever his hands reached, showing that he really wasn’t angry with him. But the drooling was a bit of a problem they had to work on.

Keith felt a nudge and pulled back from Kosmo’s fur to look at him and got a slobbery lick on his face for his efforts. “Ugh, thanks. I love you, too,” Keith said and wiped his face off on Kosmo’s fur. Kosmo let out a grumble but it served him right for starting it. 

“Okay. I need to shower and get ready. Why did I think having lunch with both of them was a good idea?” He asked. But he knew the answer. It was because he was greedy. It’d been weeks since he’d last seen Lotor and months since he’d spent any real time with Shiro in person. 

Shiro was his longest and closest friend and someone he’d had a crush on for as long as he could remember. He loved spending time with him and wanted to steal as much as Shiro’s time as he could while they had the chance. And while he hadn’t known Lotor nearly as long, they had a connection Keith couldn’t deny. Lotor understood what it was like to be an outcast and to struggle to be seen and respected. Lotor was also patient and always willing to teach Keith about his heritage or spar with him. The way Lotor looked at him sometimes when they fought made Keith wonder if maybe Lotor didn’t feel some of the same lust that Keith felt, but that was probably foolish. 

And how ridiculous was it that he lusted after his two good friends who could have anyone in the universe they wanted? Keith was hopeless. 

He pushed off of Kosmo to start peeling out of his clothes and then began unbraiding his hair as he headed to the bathroom to shower. He didn’t think he was ugly, at least by Earth standards, and yeah he was still a bit impulsive, but he wasn’t the angry problem child anymore. But there must be something wrong if his fellow Blades wouldn’t even flirt with him. He wasn’t completely oblivious to others around him. He saw how Blades enjoyed flirting and even casually hooking up. He’d seen the same at plenty of the Galra parties he’d been forced to attend, too. But none of that ever happened with him. 

He sighed as he let the water run over him. He’d just focus on enjoying Lotor and Shiro’s company at lunch and not embarrassing himself. He could act normal around them. He’d been doing it for ages now. He was just caught off guard after a long flight. He could control his hormones and idiotic brain no matter how much they smiled at him and leaned in to listen to him like his words mattered. Just because he didn’t know how to seduce two of the most beautiful and competent men in the universe didn’t mean they weren’t perfect and patient with him. 

He wished he was brave enough to tell them he liked them as more than friends. He thought he’d done a good job telling Shiro that but Shiro clearly saw him as just family. Would Lotor respond better? Was it too much to ask the universe for both of them? He thought Lotor might be up for that sort of proposition but wasn’t sure at all about Shiro who probably related more to human standards of dating despite his years in space. 

Still, it was a nice thought to indulge in while he showered. And then he could tuck it all back inside of his heart and get through lunch with two people he cared for without making it awkward. 

-0-0-0-0-0-

Lotor was seated at the round table in the room Keith had indicated. It was a bright and airy room with half of it set up for casual lounging with plush chairs and sofas by a fireplace. The wall by the table was filled with colourful landscapes of Altea and perhaps even Earth since Lotor didn’t recognize all of the plants. The large doors leading to the balcony had been open and the curtains had been pulled back giving them a clear view of the gardens beyond. 

The table normally seated six but only three seats next to each other were set. They had left the seat in the middle free for Keith and Lotor was thankful it was a setup in a way where Keith wouldn’t have to choose who he sat beside. Lotor didn’t doubt his charms and intelligence, even if many under his father’s empire had been too blind to appreciate them, but it was difficult to compete against the deep bond Keith shared with Shiro.  
That didn’t mean he was giving up on his chance to confess though. Shiro had had years to tell Keith his feelings and as far as Lotor understood it, had squandered the last year with indecision and ridiculous fears. That had left Lotor plenty of time to deepen his own bonds with Keith and to flirt with him. Not that he was sure that Keith realized Lotor had been flirting.

Acxa had mentioned once to him that after a dinner Lotor had thought had gone quite well, Keith had asked his former generals to keep an eye on him since he’d thought Lotor had been a bit strange and worried the stress of ruling might be getting to him. 

Lotor tried not to groan at the thought of how embarrassing that had been. He had gone on to study human courting practices after that and still wasn’t sure they were successful but at least the seeds of his interest had to be planted somewhere in Keith’s mind. 

Perhaps Shiro had come up against the same problems in the past. Thinking he had clearly shown his interest only for Keith to not notice or absently rebuke him not even realizing he had been propositioned. 

It was why doing it this way, while perhaps a little unorthodox, was the only way Lotor could think of. If they wanted to know how Keith felt, they had to be direct and ask and lay themselves on the line. Lotor had a feeling with both of them confessing this way, it was Shiro who would come out on top and that hurt a little. If he did this on his own before Shiro found the courage, Lotor was sure that Keith would say yes. He had seen the interest in Keith’s eyes that went beyond platonic from time to time. 

But Lotor also knew the strength of Keith’s love toward Shiro. Yes, the two of them could be happy together but would Keith harbour regrets or always wonder what if. Lotor cared enough about Keith to know he wanted him completely happy and was greedy enough to also know that he didn’t want a relationship where the other wasn’t fully invested in it. 

So if doing this did nothing but make Keith feel awkward around him for a few months while he and Shiro started a happy relationship it was something Lotor would have to accept. But it was still worth trying. Perhaps Keith had grown tired of waiting or his love had grown to be only that of friendship. 

And if not, well it wasn’t like Lotor could exactly blame Keith. 

Lotor looked up at Shiro who looked a little uncomfortable but determined and leaned back in his chair as he pondered Shiro further. There was no questioning his strength or skills. Even before he led Voltron or the Atlas he was famous as the Champion of the Galra arena. He was scarred but not in any way which detracted from his beauty though Lotor thought anyone with sense would think the scars just added to the strength of Shiro’s character. He was sure Keith thought Shiro’s scars proved how much of a fighter he was. 

Lotor thought much the same. It was unfortunate that Shiro was a love rival and that Keith had so effortlessly stolen both their hearts. He and Shiro would have made a rather fetching couple. 

Shiro looked up from his coffee which he’d been pondering for a while and caught Lotor’s eyes with his own. He tilted his head in question as if wondering why Lotor was staring at him and Lotor gave him a smile and relaxed further back in his chair before reaching for his tea. 

“Have you decided what you’ll say?” Lotor asked. 

“Not at all,” Shiro said with a small shake of his head and a laugh. “I hope when the time comes, the right words will just happen.” 

“Keith appreciates honesty. No matter what, if you do that, things will work out,” Lotor said. Unless Shiro really blundered things, there was no way he would walk away from this table having lost anything. Even if Keith turned down his advances to date, there would never be any loss of love or respect for Shiro. 

Lotor had seen Keith take down others both physically and verbally who had dared even insinuate one impolite thing about Shiro. Fortunately, Lotor had nothing but respect for Shiro and never had to fear that from Keith. 

“I know. Of course, I know that…” Shiro toyed with his coffee and then sent a stern look at Lotor that immediately crumbled into something that looked lost. “How are you not nervous?” 

Lotor gave a small chuckle. He liked seeing under Shiro’s leader persona and just how expressive his face was. “Who says I’m not?” He knew he had a connection with Keith and what he offered to a relationship was desirable but there was no guarantee that he would be picked over Shiro. Or perhaps over no one. Just because Keith had once confessed his feelings to Shiro and showed attraction to them didn’t mean he wanted anything more than friendship. 

“You don’t look it,” Shiro said. 

“I learned long ago to hide how I feel. Besides, I have faith in Keith. You should, too,” Lotor said. 

Lotor watched as first empathy flashed in Shiro’s eyes at his words followed swiftly by anger at Lotor daring to insinuate he didn’t believe in Keith. 

“I have nothing but faith in him. He knows this.” 

“Then you have nothing to worry about,” Lotor said. 

It was odd to coach his love rival. But he knew that even if he lost this battle, it didn’t mean he had lost the war. From what he understood, human life was considered long if it reached 100 decaphebes and Shiro was already a quarter of a way through that. 

Of course, nobody could say for sure what a clone body would do to his life-span. One day, it could just start breaking down suddenly or it could extend his life to twice as long. And despite how he felt for Keith and how he longed to have him in his arms and in his bed, he hoped Shiro would reach an old age for humans and perhaps live well past it. 

Even 200 decaphebes was just a drop in time for him considering how long he had lived and how much longer he was likely to see. And while halfbreeds had unexpected outcomes when it came to what they inherited from each race, Lotor had no reason to believe that Keith wouldn’t live to see hundreds of decaphebes pass. 

And while he did not wish the pain of losing all of his friends to old age while he stayed young and healthy upon Keith, he would be there to support him and help him through it. He had plenty of experience grieving for shorter-lived friends after all. And when Keith had healed from those losses, Lotor would be ready to offer more than his friendship once again. 

It would be a shame when age finally did start to take away Shiro’s virility and muscles, though. If ever there was a fully human specimen to admire and hold up as an example of the finest humans could produce, Lotor thought it was Shiro. Perhaps he didn’t have the cunning of the green paladin, but he held his own in engineering talks and could plan and lead battles with the sort of finesse that any Galra would envy. 

At least if he had to lose to someone, it was to someone like Shiro. Lotor could accept that loss and even encourage it. He’d have his chance one day and wouldn’t be nearly as kind to the next suitor who thought to challenge him for Keith’s affection. 

“All we need to do today is tell Keith that we both love him and see if he’d be interested in dating one of us.” And hopefully, put that bluntly there could be no confusion about their meaning. 

“You really do care for him, don’t you?” Shiro asked. 

Lotor would have been insulted but he knew that even after everything he had a reputation for being hard to connect to and that he took more of an interest in his projects and ruling Daibazaal than he did with becoming close to those he ruled.

It wasn’t that he didn’t care for them. He did. But a lifetime of betrayal could not be healed overnight. And while he considered his generals his closest friends, he was hesitant to even trust them fully after all they’d done to each other in the war. They would get there eventually and the paladins and others he had met during those long final battles had helped him along. But Shiro wasn’t exactly wrong to doubt Lotor’s ability to care for someone that deeply. 

“He has a way of working under your skin when you least expect it. I tried to resist it but he just hammered away at my defenses with his blunt honesty and his unwillingness to give up. I’m not even sure he’s aware he’s done it or charmed half the universe since the war ended either.” It always delighted him to see how people reacted to Keith’s humble and open ways. 

The littlest Blade may say he’s not good with people or they didn’t like him but Lotor couldn’t imagine where he got that idea from. Even planets that were hesitant to allow any Galra onto their soil were trying to get Keith to stay by the end of the visit. He loved to see Keith’s confused face as he explained just how the visit went and how hard it was to leave at the end of the trip and just how baffled he was that they wanted him to stay. He usually said it must be because they expected more help or supplies if he stayed and never thought it was because they found him a good leader and friend. 

One day Keith would learn that people respected and liked him and that while his ways of handling situations may be a bit unplanned and blunt, it came from a good place and turned out well more often than not. 

“Did he tell you that he stole my car the first time we met?” Shiro asked. Clearly relating to the way Keith could get you to like him when everything was telling you to cut your losses and get away. 

“Shiro, if you tell that story I’m going to be forced to stab you with my blade,” Keith said as he walked in. He was in an interesting mix of Earth and Daibazaal fashion that made Lotor’s own clothes suddenly feel a bit tight and warm. 

Keith was in a close-fitting black and purple jacket that flared at his waist into an open half skirt and skin tight jeans that were tucked into boots. His hair was still damp and tied back in a messy braid and Lotor wondered if maybe Keith would let him fix it while he ate. 

“Oh come on, everyone knows the story. It’s cute,” Shiro said and gave Keith a rather impressive pout. 

“Lotor doesn’t want to hear about that,” Keith said. 

It was obviously a weak excuse because he very much did want to hear about it. He’d just have to hope that whatever happened here today that he would still be able to get Shiro in private so he could tell him the story. It sounded like a fun one. 

“I’m sure we can find other things to talk about,” Lotor said. It was clear that Keith was embarrassed by the story and Lotor liked that Keith wanted to appear put together and cool for him. But he also wished that Keith was comfortable enough with him to share such a silly story. They all had silly anecdotes from their childhood that were embarrassing after all. But Lotor had time. He would coax those stories out of Keith and share his own eventually. 

-0-0-0-0-

Keith eyed the two for a moment before taking his seat. He fussed with his jacket a minute to make sure he was composed. He was better prepared for the attention from both Lotor and Shiro this time around but he needed to tell his heart that seeing the two be friendly with each other was no reason to start racing and getting carried away. 

“You guys haven’t started yet?” He asked as he looked at the food laid out in front of him. He licked his lips in hunger as he saw a bunch of his favourite Earth and Daibazaal foods. 

“We haven’t been here long. It was no hardship to wait,” Lotor said. He gave Keith a smile before starting to serve himself, Shiro joining in. 

“How was your flight here? No problems?” Shiro asked. 

The question was a simple and usual one and it helped Keith relax a bit more. This was just a normal lunch date. There was no reason to get worked up no matter what his brain and hormones wanted to think. 

“None. It seems like the effort to secure safe flight paths against raiders is finally paying off,” Keith said. 

“That’s good. Does that mean you might take some time off after the celebrations?” 

Keith gave a nod to Lotor’s question. He didn’t really want to take an extended break but he’d been working non-stop for a while and Kolivan mentioned he was setting a bad example and his mom wanted to spend some time with him. And it wasn’t like there wasn’t plenty of training to keep him busy with on Daibazaal. He wasn’t arrogant enough to think he knew everything about fighting or being a leader of the Blades in charge of the rescue efforts. 

“Good. I know we all want to see the universe fixed but we have to remember we can’t help if we’ve worked ourselves to exhaustion,” Lotor said. 

“That’s the pot calling the kettle black,” Keith muttered. 

Shiro gave a laugh at that and Lotor looked confused by the Earth expression. Some things just didn’t translate well. “He thinks you should take a break, too,” Shiro explained.

“I did say we. And don’t think that you’re not a pot or kettle either,” Lotor said. 

Keith hid a snort of laughter behind a large bite of food. Lotor trying to use Earth expressions was cute. But they were both right. If Keith needed a break, so did Shiro and Lotor. Though out of the three of them, Keith probably had the easiest time of it. While he felt he had to be there to lead the efforts he knew that other Blades could accomplish the task just fine without him. It was only the planets that wanted a paladin of Voltron and not the Galra who had enslaved them that ever really required him personally. But Keith found joy in helping people rebuild what was lost in the war. It was a way to give back to all of those he couldn’t save. 

“I could probably take some vacation time,” Shiro said.

“Really?” Keith asked, a bit surprised. He knew Shiro liked his routine, being useful, and being able to explore space in a more peaceful manner. Him volunteering to take a break from it all seemed a little suspicious. “Are you getting kicked off the bridge?” 

“No.” At the looks from both him and Lotor, Shiro gave a small shrug. “Well, they’ve been encouraging me to take a break. And the Atlas needs some routine checks and stockpiling done soon and they don’t really need me on hand for that.” 

“Really?” Keith asked though this time his tone was more excited than skeptical. 

“Really.” 

“You should take it after we’re done with the anniversary. Then you can come to visit us on Daibazaal,” Keith said and hoped he didn’t sound too eager. He couldn’t remember the last time he and Shiro had a proper break. He could show Shiro the hot springs and the sparring facilities and take him to the market or some of the restaurants. Maybe Lotor could even find some time off and join them. He could explain everything even better than he could. 

If Keith was feeling extra bold he could even pretend all three of them were on a date even if he’d maybe feel a little guilty about it later. But as long as he held his composure while they were together it would be fine. There was no harm in pretending he could have everything he wanted for just a little while. It was even easier to imagine the possibilities as he sat at breakfast between both men. 

“Daibazaal would be happy to host you,” Lotor said. 

“Maybe you could help me give Shiro a tour.” Keith’s thoughts were still filled with fantasies and he was willing to be a bit bold. They were all friends so it wouldn’t seem too odd for him to want all of them to enjoy a relaxing day together. 

“Are you saying I need a vacation, too?” 

“A day off once and a while wouldn't kill you,” Keith said. 

“Hmmm I’ll consider it then.” 

Keith nodded at that. It wasn’t a yes but it was something he could work with. 

“You don’t have to go out of your way for me,” Shiro said. 

“It’s no bother. Besides, we’d be bad hosts if we didn’t make sure the Captain of the Atlas and our friend didn’t have a good time… Unless you’re too much of an old man and you’ve forgotten how to have fun,” Keith said with a teasing smirk. 

“Hey! I’m not that much older than you despite the hair,” Shiro protested. 

“I’m rather partial to your hair colour,” Lotor said in a teasing seductive lilt. 

Keith looked between the two of them, both handsome with their white hair and gave a chuckle. Anyone who thought white hair made someone old hadn’t spent nearly enough time with alien races. “Me, too,” Keith said. His voice maybe a little softer than was called for. 

They both turned to him and gave him twin smiles of affection and Keith felt his heart skip a beat. This was why he struggled with his feelings for them. They were just so openly affectionate toward him in a way that made him feel so important and that there was a chance for more. 

“Thank you, Keith. Is there anything else about us that you enjoy?” Lotor asked, soft smile turning into a teasing grin. 

“Don’t be a jerk,” Keith said and gave his shoulder a friendly punch. 

Lotor didn’t even flinch at it but he did turn back to his food so Keith considered it a victory. 

“Actually, there was something we wanted to talk to you about,” Lotor said after a few minutes of comfortable silence. 

“What about?” Keith asked and wondered just who the ‘we’ was. Logically it would be him and Shiro but other than encouraging him to take breaks now and then, he couldn’t think of what else they’d want to talk to him about together. 

His brows furrowed slightly as the first idea that popped into his head was that they wanted to tell him they were dating. They had been waiting together for his craft to land and again at the table for him and both times they’d been acting a little odd together. 

“Nothing bad,” Shiro said. He’d clearly noticed the frown and wanted to reassure him. It had the opposite effect though because Shiro and Lotor deciding to date each other would be good news to anyone else who wasn’t in love with them both. 

A small part of Keith chimed in that if they were together surely it was just one small step to add him into the mix. But the larger part knew that if they had each other, he had little to offer them. They’d be so good together as just a pair. Strong, confident, intelligent, charismatic leaders, and a heartbreaking pair. 

“Okay. What is it?” Keith asked, forcing a neutral look onto his face since he couldn’t quite manage a smile. He would get there. He wouldn’t let his own feelings get in the way of Lotor and Shiro being happy but he just hadn’t expected to need to pretend that much in front of them today. 

“We’ve been talking and we realized that we had a common interest and that it was past time we made it known,” Lotor said. He glanced over at Shiro with a knowing look and Keith swallowed thickly, his hands fisting on his lap hidden from view by the table. 

“Lotor’s right. We’ve, well I guess mostly me, but we’ve been putting off telling you this but that’s going to stop. We care for you and would like to date you,” Shiro said. 

“Together?” Keith asked, feeling confused by the turn of events and wondering if he’d somehow hit his head or ingested something dubious. This was so far off from what he’d expected Shiro to say.

“No, of course not,” Lotor said. 

Well with that quick rebuke, it wasn’t likely a head injury since Keith would definitely be dreaming about them being together with him. But he was still just as confused. 

“You look disappointed, Keith. I know you may not feel that way about me, us, but we wanted to tell you how we felt. In case you wanted to date one of us…” Shiro said. 

Keith looked at him like he’d grown another head. In what reality did Shiro really think he wouldn’t want to date him? 

“Shiro… I think that might not be what he’s disappointed about,” Lotor said and Keith caught him being stared at intensely. 

“I uh…” Keith stammered out. He wasn’t sure how to respond to any of this. This was so far away from anything he could have seen happening. 

“Perhaps you really were hoping we were confessing together as a pair and not two individuals, hmm?” Lotor said in that drawl of his that made Keith shiver in anticipation. 

This time, Keith felt his cheeks heating up at being called out. 

There was a silence and Keith floundered at what to say. He didn’t want to lie to them but he also wasn’t sure he should admit the truth. Lotor might seem intrigued by the idea but Shiro looked stunned. 

Was he disgusted with Keith for thinking that the three of them together could ever be a possibility? Maybe Lotor was too Galra for Shiro to want to have as a bed partner? Just because Shiro had never shown any bias against their Galran allies and had always treated them with respect and kindness didn’t mean he was comfortable getting physical with them. 

“Shiro…” Keith started unsure where he should go. 

“Is that something you really want, Keith? To date us both?” Shiro asked. 

Keith was normally pretty good at reading Shiro but right now he couldn’t tell what Shiro was feeling beyond the obvious confusion. 

“I didn’t think either of you would ever want to date me so I didn’t think there was any harm in imagining what it might be like if well both of you were with me,” Keith admitted. It wasn’t something he ever would have shared but he needed Shiro to understand. He didn’t want Shiro, or Lotor, to think less of him. 

“Oh,” Shiro said and then shared a look with Lotor that Keith really didn’t understand before seeming to rally and looking back at him. “You really thought we weren’t interested in you? I know it took me a while to get my head together and out of the sand but you’ve always been important to me.”

Keith smiled at Shiro. He knew he was important but there was a difference between being loved like family and being a lover. “I never doubted you cared about me,” He said. 

“But you did seem to doubt the level of that care or what our interest implied,” Lotor said. 

Keith could admit that it was possible he may have missed a few cues even though he’d been looking for them. Lance was always teasing him about being obtuse about things and considering the situation they were in now, he supposed Lance might actually have had a point for once. “It may have been hard to tell a couple of times…” 

Lotor laughed and even Shiro gave a small chuckle and Keith wondered if it was appropriate to run away in the middle of a love confession or whatever this was. Apparently he’d miss more than a few hints from that reaction.

“That’s why we’re trying to make it very clear now. No more misunderstandings,” Lotor said. “So, why don’t you tell us how dating us both would work.” 

Running away was seeming better by the second but Keith wasn’t the type to back down from a battle and a part of him desperately wanted to know if this could lead to his dreams becoming reality. “I don’t think I’d ever thought about all of the details. Just that it could be nice if all three of us were together…” 

“So you want to date us and want us to date each other?” Shiro asked. 

“Yeah. I want everyone to be included. I know it’s not really normal but it feels right when I think about it.” Thinking of being with Shiro or Lotor was like a dream but whenever his thoughts drifted to the chance to have them both it felt like that’s what was meant to be. And not just because it saved him from ever having to choose between them. 

“I don’t think it would be a problem on my side.” Lotor gave Shiro an assessing once over and then smiled at him and Keith nearly choked on his tongue at the obvious flirting. 

Shiro blushed a little but held his ground and gave Lotor the same once over. “It might take some effort, but I’d be willing to see if things could work out,” Shiro said. 

“Really?” Keith said. 

“Really, Keith. I want to date you and if Lotor is part of the equation, it’s not a deal-breaker for me. In time, it might even be a nice bonus,” Shiro said. 

“Agreed. We’re already friends and I’d like to think we find each other aesthetically pleasing so there’s no reason why things can’t work out the way Keith envisions.” 

Keith was still having trouble believing this was real but managed a nod at what the two were saying. He ached with how much he wanted this. 

“Keith, if we’re willing to work together, will you date us?” Shiro asked, reaching over to put a large heavy hand on his shoulder. 

Keith swallowed thickly, throat tight as he stared at Shiro’s warm and hopeful gaze. 

“Things may be complicated as we figure out how to balance our work lives and each other, but you’re worth the effort,” Lotor said. 

Lotor’s hand found a home on his other shoulder and Keith felt a jolt of anticipation and desire go through him. Two people he cared for deeply and he thought out of his reach, wanted him and were willing to not only date him but each other. 

He felt his eyes start to fill and he refused to cry. He gave a sniffle and then reached up to rub at his eyes before nodding again. He’d already found a spot with family and friends and he didn’t think he could have more than that. It was hard to believe how far he’d come from the angry foster kid nobody wanted until Shiro took a chance on him. 

“I won’t give up on us if you won’t,” He finally said, voice tight with how overwhelmed he felt. 

“I never give up,” Lotor said. 

“Not when it comes to you. Never have, and never will, Keith,” Shiro said. 

Keith looked at the twin smiles he was receiving and knew what he needed. He reached up and grabbed both of their forearms and tugged hard. They nearly toppled off their chairs, but Keith had sparred with them enough to know they had impressive reflexes and instead of falling over, they instead were kneeling at his side as he pulled them both up and into a fierce, if somewhat awkward hug. 

He relaxed as he felt their arms curl around him and each other and let his head fall to the side against Lotor’s as Shiro’s found a place resting on his shoulder, lips brushing ever so lightly against his neck. 

They had a lot to figure out about the logistics of a three-way long-distance relationship. But if they could topple an ancient and evil empire there was no reason they couldn’t do this.

He’d make sure Shiro took his vacation and joined them on Daibazaal and they’d go from there. Keith was willing to make changes in his life and he had no doubt the others would, too. From now on they’d be a team and Keith would never give up on them. 

\---end---

**Author's Note:**

> This fic snowballed out of control and I'm not sure how many times I wanted to swat the boys upside the head for being idiots but they got there in the end. 
> 
> Please leave a kudos or a comment if you liked it. 
> 
> You can also find me on twitter at [SagelySea](https://twitter.com/SagelySea)


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